Trade/Transfer

The Tampa Bay Lightning have traded forward Wyatt Smith to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for future considerations, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced today.

Smith, a 5-foot-11, 205-pound native of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, had played in 18 games with the Admirals this season, recording three goals and eight points. He is a veteran of 211 NHL games with the Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche. Smith has amassed 10 goals and 32 points in those games. He has also played in five career Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The St. Pete Times is reporting that Lightning GM Brian Lawton has indicated that Bolt goaltending prospect Karri Ramo will be recalled prior to Sunday afternoon's game against the New Jersey Devils. Ramo will backup starter Olaf Kolzig while netminder Mike Smith nurses a lower body injury that has been nagging him for a few games.

Along with Ramo, Lawton indicated that either Jamie Heward or Andrew Hutchinson would be recalled to fill in for blueliner Lukas Krajicek, who suffered a lower body injury during the Lightning's 4-1 victory over Nashville Friday night. Both Heward and Hutchinson are right-handed defenseman, and Lawton indicated that was the main reason for the recall of one of these two players. Heward was scratched in today's afternoon Admirals game against Lowell, possibly tipping the hat as to who would be recalled.

In order to make room for Ramo and Heward/Hutchinson, both Gary Roberts and Chris Gratton will be placed on the Injured Reserve list. Roberts is suffering from an upper body injury, while Gratton is out with a minor knee tweak. This move may cue a recall of goaltender Riku Helenius from the Augusta Lynx to back up Norfolk's Mike McKenna.

By Corine Gatti
Either they loved him or they hated winger/bruiser Steve Downie in Philadelphia. According to several postings and reactions of both Flyer fans and the American Hockey League Phantomsâ€™ bloggers â€“ most fans adored the 5-foot, 10-inch Newmarket, Ontario native. Some posted that they feared him on the opposing side after he was traded from Philadelphia to the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 7. At only 21-years of age, Downie has already amassed quite a reputation for seeing the penalty box and taking lengthy suspensions. The National Hockey League benched him for 20-games for his hit on Ottawaâ€™s Dean McAmmond during a preseason game with the Flyers last September. Downie's past has not eluded him. The American Hockey League suspended the winger for three games Wednesday after smashing Worchesterâ€™s defenseman Kyle McLaren from behind during the second period. Downie has only played six games with Norfolk.

The Downie package does have an upside. The right wing can play both sides of the rink. He is a strong skater and has the agility to put offensive numbers on the board, despite his frame. After the trade from the Philadelphia organization, Downie joined the Norfolk Admirals on their two-week road trip. He was paired with Zenon Konopka and notched three points during his first week.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have claimed overaged left wing prospect David Koci off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues organization. Koci was lost to the Blues via waivers earlier in the season when the Lightning waived Koci with the intention of reassigning him Norfolk (AHL).

According the Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune, there were numerous claims registered for Koci, which means the Lightning cannot reassign him to Norfolk without placing him back on waivers.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired defenseman Steve Eminger, right wing Steve Downie and a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Matt Carle and San Joseâ€™s third-round pick in 2009 (previously acquired) today, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced.

Downie, a 5-foot-10, 192-pound native of Newmarket, Ontario, has played in six games with the Flyers this year, recording 11 penalty minutes. He has played in 38 career NHL games, all with Philadelphia, recording six goals and 12 points. He also has one career shorthanded goal and one game-winning goal. The 21-year-old played in 190 career junior games with Windsor, Peterborough and Kitchener. He amassed 82 career goals and 234 points. He also appeared in 43 OHL playoff games, recording 18 goals and 53 points. Downie was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the first round, 29th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

(WHL Release) Lethbridge Hurricanes General Manager, Roy Stasiuk and Tri City Americans General Manager, Robert Tory jointly announced a major trade today which sees high scoring forward and Lightning prospect, Mitch Fadden and defensemen, Cam Stevens and Brock Sutherland moving south in exchange for defenseman, Eric Mestery and forward Drew Hoff.

The two GM's made a huge splash two years ago when high scoring forward (and former Traverse City Lightning member), Colton Yellow Horn was moved to the Americans in exchange for a first round draft pick. Yellow Horn went on to become one of the more prolific scorers in the WHL and the Hurricanes' secured scoring prospect, Mark Reners in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft.

"Mitch Fadden is an incredibly gifted, talented and exciting player, however, our biggest need right now is a solid top four defenseman and Eric Mestery fits that bill." said Stasiuk, the Canes' GM added, "With Luca Sbisa remaining with the Philadelphia Flyers, we had to use some of our offensive depth in order to address a more pressing need. Cam and Brock will both have more opportunity to develop in supporting roles with the Americans and Drew Hoff is expected to inject some energy into our forward groupings."

For the second time in a week, Lightning prospect Torrie Jung was traded. This time, Lethbridge dealt the netminder to the Edmonton Oil Kings, who were unhappy with the inconsistency of veteran goaltender Dalyn Flette and need healthy options in net.

It was a busy morning on Channelside today as the Tampa Bay Lightning claimed veteran forward Matt Pettinger off of recall waivers from the Vancouver Canucks. Pettinger, who was acquired by the Canucks at the trade deadline last February from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Matt Cooke, failed to make the Vancouver roster out of camp and was assigned to the AHL Manitoba Moose. Pettinger had 3 goals for Manitoba in 2 games, and has 56 goals, 105 points in 354 NHL games with the Capitals and Canucks. The Canucks are on the hook for half of his $1.1M contract, and he is expected to join the Lightning instead of being reassigned to Norfolk.

It was also announced by the NHL that enforcer David Koci was claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Blues. Koci was waived on Monday ahead of an anticipated activation of foward Ryan Craig off of IR. Tampa will have the first option to reclaim Koci from the Blues if he cannot maintain a roster spot with St. Louis, and would be free to be reassigned to Norfolk by the Lightning.

The Kelowna Rockets have announced they have officially traded goaltender Torrie Jung to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a sixth round Bantam draft pick in 2010.

Jung joins fellow Lightning prospect Mitch Fadden in Lethbridge. He had been staying at his Nanaimo, B.C. home waiting for a trade. Jung was expected to be Kelowna's No.1 goaltender this year, but a pre-season trade for a more experienced No.1 changed things for the former seventh round pick.

â€œLukas is a proven NHL performer who can sure up our blue line and help with our transitional game,â€ Lawton said. â€œWith the addition of Juraj, we feel we have added to our depth at forward and we look forward to seeing what he can do in our organization this year.â€

Krajicek, a 6-foot-2, 196-pound native of Prostejov, Czech Republic, played in 39 games with the Canucks last season, recording two goals and 11 points with one power-play goal. He missed the majority of the season due to a shoulder injury, finishing the campaign on the injured reserve.